Stage-brace.



No. 865,774. PATENTED SEPT. 10, '1907.

I .J. G. ENGLAND.

STAGE BRAOE. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 22. 1906- W/TNESSES "ms NORRISPETERS cm, wnsumorau, n, c.

UETTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JAMES ORITOHFIELD ENGLAND, OF ZANESVILLE, OHlO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJESSE GOULTRAP, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

STAGE-BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

Application filed October 22,1906. Serial No. 339,993.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns ORITCHFIELD ENGLAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Zanesville, in the county of Muskingum and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stage-Braces,of which the following is a specilication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in stage braces, and the object ofmy invention is to provide a stage brace which will be simple inconstruction, cheap to manufacture and readily placed in position.

A stage brace now in common use consists of a wooden brace with an ironbottom resting upon the floor and'formed with a hole through whichpasses a large thumb-screw to secure the brace to the floor of thestage. The brace is secured to the scenery in much the same way. Toplace and secure the brace in position now requires a great deal of timeand where there is a carpet on the floor of the stage, the carpet istwisted in the operation of securing the brace to the floor.

In carrying out my invention, I provide the lower end of the woodenbrace with a pointed plate made of any suitable metal. To this plate ispivotally secured a bar the free end of which is formed with a tooth orprong. The brace is placed in position by thrusting it smartly downwardsto engage the metal point of the plate into the floor; after which thescenery is placed against the brace at the proper angle. The bar is thensecured to the floor by hitting it near its toothed end smartly with theheel.

The upper end of the brace is provided with a plate to which ispivotally secured a forked member in which is mounted a clamp-screw bywhich the forked member and thereby the brace is secured to the scenery.Before bringing the parts of the scenery upon the stage, the braces maybe secured thereto, thereby saving time.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my in vention and the bestmode now known to me of applying that principle, Figure 1 is a sideelevation showing my new stage brace in position; Fig. 2 is a rearelevation oi the same; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views showing the partsattached to the top of my new stage brace; and Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 aredetail views showing the fittings for the lower end of the brace. I

a is a stick or pole of wood of suitable length which forms the main orbody portion of the brace. To the lower end of this pole a is suitablysecured, as by screws passing through the holes 0, a metal plate I)formed with ears d and having its lower end pointed, as shown at e,Figs. 5 and 6. Between the ears d and hinged thereto is a metal bar fthe free end of which is formed with a tooth g and with a flattenedportion h just above the tooth g.

To the top of the stick or pole a is suitably secured, as by screwspassing through the holesj, a metal plate 1' the top of which is formedwith a split ring 70 within which is pivotally mounted the clamp m madeup of the fork n in one arm of which is adjustably mounted theclamp-screw 0. (See Figs. 3 and 4.)

The parts of the scenery are brought upon the stage with the bracesclamped to said parts. The pole a is thrust smartly downwards, wherebythe point is forced into the floor of the stage. The piece p of sceneryis then given its proper inclination, whereupon the bar f is strucksmartly with the heel upon the flattened portion h, thereby driving thetooth 9 into the floor and securing the brace in position at its lowerend. Should it have been necessary to have loosened the clamp m at thetop of the brace, the latter is now tightened by turning the clamp-screwo.

It will be obvious that the brace does not have to be turned, and thereis no danger of disarranging a carpet placed .upon the floor of thestage. Every operation necessary to place the brace in position andsecure the same therein may be done with great rapidity. Of course, thetime-saving elementis most essential in these contrivances.

I claim:

In a stage brace, the combination of a body portion; a plate secured tothe lower end thereof, the lower end of said plate being formed with apoint projecting below the lower extremity of said body portion; and abar one end of which is pivotally secured to the upper end of saidplate, and the other end of which is formed with a tooth and extends tothe rear beyond and free from said plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day ofOctober, A. D. 1906, at said Zanesville, in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES CRI'ICHFIELD ENGLAND.

Witnesses G. C. RILEY, CHAS. W. GIBsoN.

